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As we entered 2017, Mensante received an email from the Australian government titled “Setting New Year’s Resolutions for a better 2017." The message referenced several Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) courses sponsored by the Australian government for many disorders covered by FeelingBetterNow®. Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is entirely evidenced based. Medications and psychotherapy, primarily CBT, are the only evidenced-based treatment for mental health disorders.

Before including any tool in our Self-Help Toolbox recommendations, Mensante’s Mental Health Professional Board members use the tool, rather than simply reading an outline or course summary. While the course summaries looked appropriate and we respect the work we have the reviewed developed in Australia, we were unable to register for these courses. These courses were only available to Australian citizens. In the outline describing the course, the price section stated “Depending on the method of delivery, the course will be $59.99 for three months’ access. That’s a whole course for less than the cost of one visit to a psychologist. It’s a small price to pay for ‘getting back up’.” The National Health Services in the UK offers free online CBT to its citizens.

While Canada’s public health system may not be able to afford in person psychotherapy offered by psychologists it can certainly afford to develop programs and offer Canadians free online CBT or at the cost of less than one visit to a psychologist.

When the Federal Government falls short in funding online CBT to Canadians, how can we possibly take its commitment to improving mental health seriously? The federal government has no reason not to financially sponsor, and provincial government implement, very inexpensive online CBT for its citizens. It would cost pennies a person per year!

We recommend that you contact your provincial and federal representatives and the Canadian Mental Health Association [email protected] to lobby for this as a priority.

Dr. Sam Ozersky, MD

Sam is Mensante's founder and CEO. He speaks and writes extensively about the critical relationship between mental health and the workplace.